Atomizer or humidifier.



J. C. RANKINE & G. H. GOLDSMITH.

ATOMIZER OR HUMIDIFIER.

APPmoATloN FILED SEPT. 1, 1910.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

2 sHB'ETs-SHEBT 1.

J. C. RANKINE & G. H. GOLDSMITH.

ATOMIZER OR HUMIDIPIER.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 1, 1910.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES G. MEINE, 0F PAMTTIICKlq'lly,4 EHODIILISLAND, AND GEORGE H. GOLDSHITH,

. 0F `BIDBEEBI, MAINE.

ATOMJZEB .0B HUMIDIFIER.

Spooication of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JAMES C. RANKINE and GEORGE H. GoLnsMrrH, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Pawtucket, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, and Biddeford, county of York, and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Atomizers or Humidifiers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to atomizers or humidifiers, and pertains more particularly to an improvement in that class of devices which are used in large buildings, such as factories or hospitals, for the purpose of dispersing. atomized or substantially vaporized Water, disinfectants, or other liquids in the atmosphere of the building by causing the moisture to be carried out upon currents 4of air.

The principal object of our invention is to construct a device practically self-contained, and may be carried by brackets attached to the walls or the ceiling of theroom or hall in which the ap paratus is to be used.

Furthermore, it is intended to provide an atomizer of` this type which is capable of dispersing an atomize lui'd through a plu' rality of passages through which currents of air are directed at various angles, thereby causing the complete dispersion of the finely divided particles of the luid into every portion of the surrounding atmosphere.

Furthermore, in theipresent apparatus 1t is intended to combine Such improvements in details `of construction and assemblage of parts as to render theoperative device particularly well adapted to fulfil the purpose of .an apparatus of this character.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,- which form a part of this specification and in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken centrally through the atomizer, Fig. 2 is .a detail4 view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. V1, Fig. 3 is a sectional view takenon the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and Figs.'

4, 5 and V(i are detail fragmentary views of the atomizing means.

Referring. more particularly to said drawings, 1 indlcates a dish-shaped receptacle or caslnghaving its bottom inclinedtoward the center and merging ina chamber 2.

of this character which is- Said chamber 2 has a central opening 3 to which is attached the reservoir 4. A supply plpe 5 suitably connected to said reservoir and leading from a supply tank 6 is adapted to supply water or other suitable liquid to the atomizer, and is fed through the automatic control of the Water in the tank G. A float valve 7 constitutes the automatic control of the liquid and maintains the lat-ter at the predetermined level which will prevent the overtiow of the atomizer and its connected parts.

Supported within the chamber 2 and rigldly spaced from the inner surfaces thereof, is a cup-shaped element 10, said cupshaped element having inner and outer concentric members 11 and 12. The outer of said members 12 consists of a shell whose upper edges flare outwardly in general conformity to the shape of the casing and whose central portion is upwardly formed or spun as at 13 to provide a socket or bearing for a step` bearing 14, whose function will hereinafter appear. The inner concentric member 11 consists of a circularly channeled member spaced from the inner and outer walls of the member 12 and supported upon tubular members 15, rigidly carried by the member 12,' and forming conduit members through which water from the chamber 2 and consequently the reservoir 4 may lind its way `into the interior of the channel formed in member 11. Said step bearing 14 is so constructed as to rest upon the upper edge of the socket formed by the inner wall 13, and has Vrevolubly stepped therein a shaft 16, said shaft l'extending upwardly into the upper portion of the atomizer, passes through the motor 17, and supports at its upper end the fan 18. Said motor 17 is supported by, and spaced from an intermediate canopy 8. Said intermediate canopy 8 consists of outwardly and downwardly inclined portions 19, whose outer edge is suitably carried by elements later described and secured to the casing 1, and an in- Wardly and downwardly inclined portion 9 which forms the direct support for said Amotor 17.

latter is mounted to throw the drawn-in air downwardly among the several parts of the apparatus and between the canopies and elements as indicated by the arrows, for the purposes hereinafter set forth.

Supporting the lower and outer edge of -the portion 19 of the canopy 8, is a flat ring or annulus 22, said annulus being supported by the bolts 20. Interposed between said annulus 22 and said edge of'member 19 is a second flat ring or annulus-23, the latter having a limited revoluble movement upon the annulus 22 by reason of the slots 21'1- through which bolts or rivets 25 `loosely pass, as most clearly shown in Fig. 4.

Revolubly mounted upon the lower face of the ring 22, and spaced thereon, throughout the entire circumference of the ring is the plurality 0f grids or vanes 26 which constitute the means for atomizing the iiuid. Said grids or vanes 26 comprise substantially rectangular sheets of metal or other suitable material having projected from their rear edges the wings 27 and having projected at right angles from their upper edges the aperture flanges 28. Said wings 27 are each provided with an upwardly projecting spindle 29. Said grids 0r vanes 2G are pivotally secured to the ring or annulus 22 by means of rivets or bolts passed through said iianges 28 and said annulus 22, with the wings 27 projecting rearwardly toward the center of said ring. The inner peripheral edge of the annulus 23 projects beyond the corresponding edge of the annulus 22, and is provided with radial slots 30 corresponding in number to said vanes. In each slot 3() projects one of the spindles 29, whereby, by movement of said annulus 23, the positions, or angular relation of the vanos 2G with relation to the annulus 22 may be adjusted. A handle 31 Secured to the movable annulus 23 renders the adjustment of the vanes a matter of ease and accuracy, whereby the quality or inencss of the atomized liquid may be readily regulated.

Mounted upon the shaft 1G, and fixed thereon directly above the bushing or step bearing lei is a hub 32 carrying a s ider 33, said spider forming the center o a disk 34. Said disk 34 consists of a substantially llat. portion extending outwardly from said spider toward. the middle portions of the vanes 2G, and a downwardly extending portion which projects very nearly to' the bottom of the channel formed by the inner member 11 above described. Thus, as the disk 34 is revolved with the shaft 1G this portion 35 operates in a body of water, and as the disk assumes a high speed, capillary attraction and centrifugal motion will cause the water to creep up in the inner and outer sides of the downwardly extending portion 25 and outwardly over the surfaces of the disk 34 until it is finally discharged against the vanes 26 to be broken up into a fine spray oratomized. Should the supply of water c'arried outwardly by the disk become excessive, it will be permitted to drop again into the casing l to be again returned' to the supply in the chamber 2.

It has been above stated that the air currents set up by the fans 18 are broken up into a plurality of annular streams. This is done to more thoroughly disseminate or disperse the spray and-to relieveiany vacuum or suctional effect along the surfaces of the disk 34. As indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1, one current of air is set up through the opening between the lower edge of the'bcll canopy 21 and the ridge formed by the inclined portions of the intermediate canopy 8. This current acts upon the spray or atomized iuid after it has been thrown out from the casing 1 over the edge 36,- and tends to throw'it at a great distance into the surrounding atmosphere. The currents indicated by the arrows traversing the space on each side of the channeled member 1l. and issuing outwardly along the top and bottom surfaces of the disk 34, not only aid the outward action of the ywater toward the Vanes 26,' but tend to eliminate any vacuum or suctional effects which might be set up were no compensating air supply provided, and also aid the vanes 26 in breaking up, disseminating and distributing the supply to be vaporized.

It is very often desired, where the device is used in cotton mills and similar factories where' a great deal of fiber is flying, to clean out the device and to renew the water contained in the reservoir 4 and the chamber 2.

vFor this ur ose a waste box 37 havin v a downwardly projected spout 38 is mounted suitably adjacent the casing l and receives a revoluble elbow or funnel 39 which forms a free terminal of the reservoir 4. iVhen the elbow 39 is rejected upwardly, the water, -of course, will be retained in the reservoir 4 to its predetermined level, but when the latter is turned downwardly, through the medium of the hand wheel. 40, the contents of the reservoir 4 and the chamber 2 will be permitted to rapidly pass away. lt will be noted that the upper or free end of the elbow 39 is placed on ar level which corre.- sponds to the desired normal level of lthe fluid in the chamber 2, so that it is imposj;

sible for the apparatus to become flooded and to expel its contents over the edge 3G of the casing 1, but, on the other hand, the excess Huid will be caused to fiow'over the edge of the upturned elbow 39 and permitted to pass away through the waste pipe 38.

The operation of our improved apparatus as above described will be obvious from the foregoing exposition, and its evident advantages readily understood.

. nemesi While the construction above described indicates our preferred embodiment, we do not desire to be limited in details to the particular elements described.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In an atomizer, a fan, a fluid supply, means to atomize the fluid, means to support said atomizin means, a horizontal disk for feeding the uid to the atomizing means, means to direct currents from the fan alon the top and bottom faces of the disk, and means to direct a current from the fan against the atomized fluid after its issuance from the atomizing means.

`2. An atomizer, comprising, in combination, a fluid supply, means for centrifugally feeding said fluid to an atomizing means, the means for atomizing the fluid, and means to direct a plurality of air currents against said fluid at va-rious stages during its atomizing operation.

3. An atomizer, comprising, in combination, a fluid suppl means for centrifugally feeding said fluidy to an atomizing means, the means for atomizing the fluid, means for adjusting the atomizing means to vary the spray, and means to direct a plurality of air currents against said fluid at various stages during its atomizing operation.

4. An atomizer comprising a fluid sup ly chamber, a ysecondary circular channe ed member -immersed insaid suppl chamber, ring-like revoluble means in saidysecondary member to centrifugally draw on the supply in said secondaly member, van element to which said ringike means is secured, said element having a central opening, atomizing means at the eriphery of said element to receive the fluid), means to direct air currents through said opening of said element against the fluid before the latter is atomized, and means to direct an air current againstl the atomized fluid.

5. An atomizer, comprisin ,in combination, a fan, a fluid supply amber, a centrifugal feeding means formed with a central opening and having an element immersed in said fluid chamber, an atomizin means adjacent said feedin means arrange to receive fluid fed by the atter, and means to direct the currents of air from said fan along the top of thev feeding means, and through said o ening thereof, and along the bottom of' the eedin means.

6. In a device of t e type set forth, a fan, a fluid supply chamber, centrifugal feeding means having an element immersed in said chamber, an annulus, atomizing means consist-ing of a plurality of vanes surrounding the feeding means and depending from said annulus and disposed so as to receive the fluid from said feeding means, means to pivotall move said vanes to vary the atomizing e ect thereof, and means to direct the currents from said fan along the path of the centrifugally fed fluid.

7. In an atomizer, atomizing means, an element arranged adjacent said means and having a central inlet, means to supply liquid to said inlet so that same engages on opposite sides of said element, means to supply a current of air to said element, and means to direct the air current so that same passes along the top of said element through the inlet thereof and along the bottoni thereof to feed the fluid to said atomizing means.

8. In an atomizer, atomizin means, an element arranged adjacent sai means and having a central inlet, means to supply liquid to said inlet, means to supply a current of air and means to direct the air current onto said element at the center thereof to permit the air to assist in forcing the liquid from the center of the element to the atomizing means.

9. In an atomizer, a feed disk, atomizing means disposed adjacent to said disk, means to supply fluid to said disk at the center thereof, means to supply a current of air, and means to direct the air current onto said disk at the center and on op osite sides thereof to feed the fluid to sai atomizing means.

10. In an atomizer, atomizing means composed of a series of pivoted atomizing elements, an annular member having connection with each of said elements whereby when said member is given partial rotary movement all of said elements will be moved in unison, means to supply fluid to the atomizing means, and mean to supply a current of air to said atomizing means.

In testimony whereof We have signed ourv names in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES C. RANKINE. GEORGE H. GOLDSMITH.

Witnesses as to the signature of James C. Rankine: Roscon M. DEXTER, EDITH M. BROMLEY.

Witnesses as to the signature of George H. Goldsmith:

LILLIAN M. ODEY, JOHN W. NnBxNs. 

